Biography

The first trace found of Richard Hewet is his admission as a freeman of Exeter during 1483-4. He established himself there as a merchant, trading in tin. His civic career followed the usual progression, with his election to Parliament coming towards its close. He received only one vote at the poll in 1510 when John Orenge and Thomas Andrew were chosen, but two years later, after he had helped to obtain a new charter for the city, he polled 15 votes, only four less than his fellow-Member John Simon. His re-election with Simon in December 1514 complied with the King’s call for the return of the previous Members and was not contested, even though earlier in the year he had been briefly disfranchised for suing Exeter men at common law in breach of his oath as a freeman. Since the city had not yet paid its Members for the Parliament of 1510 he and Simon agreed on the eve of the second session in the autumn of 1512 not to ask for payment until after the dissolution, and by a similar forbearance they withheld their claim in respect of the next Parliament until it was over. Both men were paid in full in 1514 and 1516.5

By his will of 2 Mar. 1519 Hewet asked to be buried beside his wife in the chancel of St. Lawrence’s church in Exeter. After leaving money to all the churches in Exeter and remembering the poor he divided his estate between his two sons. He named William Shapton and William Bennett executors and his son Roger overseer. He was dead by the following 26 Sept., when his place on the Twenty-Four was taken by Robert Buller, and his will was proved two months later. His executors were sued successfully in Chancery for money owed by him to John Bradmere for a venture which Bradmere had undertaken but which had failed.6